Near Brothers
by ShortGirlWithAPen
Summary: The penguins are on a mission that goes horribly wrong. Rated T for a reason. Humanized!


**Disclaimer- I don't own PoM or any of its characters!**

 **A/N: So I've had this idea since November and am only just now getting around to writing it for some reason. Anyway, I hope you like it and reviews are very much appreciated!**

* * *

Skipper knew that there was no way they'd be able to beat Blowhole this time, especially with the new recruits he had gotten. Skipper would never admit this, but Blowhole had trained them exceptionally well, and given the fact that there were twenty of them against the Penguin unit, there was no chance winning this time, no matter how prepared they were.

Still, they fought. Skipper was outright physical, Kowalski considered his every move both carefully and quickly, Rico was using smoke bombs Kowalski had made to try and confuse them enough to not know what any of the penguins was doing, and Private surprised them all with how good of a fighter he really was.

Everything was going as well as expected until six people trap Rico and Kowalski. Upon Blowhole's request, the rest on his side stop fighting, which makes Skipper uncomfortable.

"You four can quit fighting." says Blowhole, shooting a glance at Rico and Kowalski. "Get them to the Underground."

Blowhole's recruits do this; the leader just smirks and goes after them. Private glances nervously at Skipper before noticing that Rico's bag that happens to have weapons inside it lying on the ground and picks it up.

"Private, I think you're on to something with that bag." says Skipper.

* * *

As Rico and Kowalski find out, the Underground is literally underground- Kowalski finds himself wondering if any villains have any kind of creativity at all.

The two are led to a part of the Underground that resembles a prison. There are bars that reach from floor to ceiling; the doors to each cell are the same way except for the fact that they're on hinges. Rico and Kowalski are put into two of them back to back, their wrist chained to the bars.

"You two behave and don't go anywhere." says Blowhole before muttering, "Like you have any choice."

"What are they going to do to us, Rico?" Kowalski asks once no one else is around.

"I'm sure you know." says Rico. "Just hope they don't get to it."

Kowalski turns his head enough to look at Rico, but he's staring straight ahead. Kowalski goes quiet, knowing silence is the best thing at the moment. Rico closes his eyes, knowing something or someone could very well come around.

Footsteps come by, breaking the almost eerie silence. Kowalski turns around quickly, not wanting whoever is coming to know or suspect what he was doing. Two men come around the corner, one going to Kowalski and the other going to Rico. The men release the two from the chains and take them to opposite ends of the compound.

Hours later, when Kowalski and Rico are returned to the cells, the men have no new information while Kowalski and Rico are both covered in cuts and bruises. Kowalski has a long cut across his shoulder and collarbone, blood staining his shirt.

"See you tomorrow." says one when Kowalski and Rico are chained up once again.

* * *

"What do you think they're doing to Kowalski and Rico, Skippah?" Private asks, looking at the clock. The apartment had been abnormally quiet without Kowalski and Rico. Private had been anxious since they left the alley where they had met Blowhole and his men the day before. "You don't think they're being tortured, do you?"

"It's a possibility." says Skipper, not wanting to lie to Private. "But who knows? Blowhole's a madman; there's no way I can guess what he has planned. That's why we must go through with the plan tonight."

"How do you know where it is?" The younger of the two turns his attention to his leader.

"That is confidential information, Private." Skipper grabs Rico's bag. "Time to go."

Private and Skipper walk back to the alley they were at mere hours ago. Following a path Skipper somehow manages to find, they end up at the Underground. They lie their way past the guards at the doors.

Thirty minutes of sneaking around later, Skipper and Private find Rico and Kowalski with the two men, both looking worse than they had the day before. The cuts and scratches were deeper and there were more bruises. On both Kowalski and Rico's wrists, there are wounds left by the chains being onto their wrists too tight.

Each armed with a knife, Skipper and Private charge at the two men. They look startled at first but then start to fight back, making the mistake of releasing Kowalski and Rico. Taking advantage of this, Kowalski and Rico join in on the fight.

The four of them manage to get free after what feels to be forever. When they start to sneak down the hallway, an alarm goes off. Figuring they're the ones who caused it to go off, Skipper tells them to get out fast before someone finds them.

They run down the hallways, finding their way through the labyrinth while simultaneously dodging guards and staying hidden from anyone who looks like they're in charge in some way. Several times, someone would walk out of a hallway or a door, causing the four to act fast and hide in the shadows.

Eventually, though, they did make it back to the apartment, where they all know it's at least partially safe. Inside the apartment, Kowalski and Rico go to the bathroom and gets the first aid kit from the bathroom. Rico and Kowalski clean the cuts that line their arms and chests.

"Are you okay, Rico?" Kowalski asks. "I know you've been through some things and this could've been similar to some of it, and-"

"'m fine." Rico says, looking up slightly. "More worried about you."

"Why are you worried about me?" Kowalski tilts his head, blue eyes narrowed and focused on Rico.

"You're always so.. gentle." Rico smiles sadly. "Didn't want you to get hurt."

"Rico, the way we are, we are all going to get hurt at some point, even Private. Even he's going to see some big things. You and I both know he already has seen some of them." Kowalski now has his hands on Rico's shoulders. "Not everyone gets to come away from some things unscathed. These past couple days were some of them and I know we were lucky to get out that quickly."

Kowalski and Rico put away everything they have out in silence. Kowalski puts the first aid kit back, his long fingers brushing against Rico's arm as they leave the bathroom.

* * *

For once, it doesn't take Kowalski or Rico very long to fall asleep. All four of them were exhausted, but the last two days had taken a toll on Kowalski and Rico especially.

In the middle of the night, Rico bolts up, his heart pounding. It's not long before Kowalski wakes up himself.

Kowalski goes to Rico's bunk and sits next to the younger man. "Nightmare, Rico?"

"Yeah." he says. "You?"

"Yes." Kowalski whispers. Rico pulls him into a hug; Kowalski releases a shuddering breath. "I'm so scared. They wanted to know anything and everything and was willing to go to any length to get the information. What if I go bad and that's what I end up doing? What if at some point, I have no choice at all, they won't even kill me, and I have to tell them everything?"

"I think the same every day." Rico whispers, blinking back tears, not wanting to fall apart. "It takes over."

Kowalski's trembling now, burying his face into Rico's shoulder, his arms around the younger's waist. Rico rubs circles into Kowalski's back.

"I don't want it to take over." Kowalski whispers. "Just want it to stop."

"You'll be okay," the younger man says. "You're tough."

"You're a lot tougher than I am."

Everything goes quiet. Rico looks around the room; he can see that Private's silhouette is sleeping on his side, facing the wall; Skipper's arm is hanging from the bunk above him. The clock changes, the red numbers shedding a soft glow and is the only light in the room.

"Go back to bed." Rico whispers once Kowalski pulls away. "I'll try to protect you if something happens."

"Okay. You better get back to sleep, too." says Kowalski. "You know Skipper will want to start training again soon. Who knows when that will be?"

Kowalski goes back to his bunk and closes his eyes, controlling his breathing into steady breaths, which didn't fool Rico one bit, but they both knew it might just work for Skipper and Private. Rico stares at the bunk above him; he knew he had to get some sleep, but until then, he knows he can watch out for the one who had always been a brother to him.


End file.
